PORT ANGELES — Riding four touchdowns from Jarrett Burns and a dominant performance by their offensive line, the Port Angeles Roughriders steamrolled Kingston 35-14.
Burns gained 211 yards on 28 carries in Friday’s Olympic League 2A Division win for the Riders. He had touchdown runs of nine, six, six and five yards.
The win gives Port Angeles (2-1, 3-2) a winning record at midseason and also put them in sole possession of third place in the Olympic League 2A Division.
Not to take anything away from Burns, but his offensive line blew open gaping holes for him to run through all night. Several times on some of his bigger runs, he was 10-15 yards downfield and still had linemen in front of him blocking.
After the game, Burns said he was tired but ecstatic with the win.“I’m a little sore, but we’re ready for the next game.”
Burns gave credit to his offensive lineman and to his lead blocker Jake Allen. “And the wide receivers when I got outside,” he said, not forgetting anyone.
“We’re going to the playoffs, our team is definitely special right now,” Burns said.
Also with a big game was Garrett Edwards. He had a 42-yard punt return to set up the Riders’ first touchdown in the first quarter. Then, he made arguably the play of the game with an interception in the end zone and an 80-yard return in the third quarter to snuff out a potential comeback by the Buccaneers.
“We’re just playing as a team right now, everyone is doing their job,” Edwards said. “The coaches are doing a good job of coaching the line.”
“I was most pleased with our offensive line. They’re really coming into their own right now,” said coach Brett Curtis.
Curtis was also happy that the Riders were effective in the red zone, with seven trips inside the 20 resulting in five touchdowns (one possession ended in a fumble and another in an interception on a halfback option). He said this had been a problem for the team all year.
“I’m pleased we finished drives out,” he said.
“We’re 2-1 [ in the Olympic League], we’re in the middle of the pack, we’re shooting for the playoffs.
“It’s early. It’s one game at a time, but tonight we took another step. It was a nice win, the boys feel good,”
Curtis agreed Edwards’ INT was a huge play. The Riders had a 22-6 lead in the third quarter, but Kingston had methodically moved the ball down the 14-yard-line, threatening to get within one score of Port Angeles. A couple of Riders’ turnovers deep in Kingston’s end in the first half were looming large.
Kingston quarterback Nick Waxon rolled to his right and briefly had a receiver all alone wide open in left side of the end zone. But, after he threw the pass across his body, Edwards broke on the ball, picked it off, then rumbled all the way down to the Riders’ 18-yard-line before he was finally brought down. “I was just dead,” Edwards said about the end of his 85-yard runback.
The Riders had a similar goal-line stand to help preserve their win last week against North Mason. “Our defense played well. We bend but we don’t break,” Curtis said.
Penalties a problem
About the only black eye on the win was a slew of penalties called against the Riders, including a block in the back that cost Port Angeles a touchdown on a long kick return by Edwards. Several of the penalties were for unsportsmanlike conduct or late hits. Curtis said in a close game, those penalties could have been devastating.
“We gotta be more disciplined than that. We gotta be better,” he said.
In addition to Burns’ 211 yards rushing, Glenn Deckard had 49 yards rushing, mostly in the fourth quarter, as the Riders piled up 270 yards on the ground.
The Riders didn’t throw much and really didn’t need to with Burns carrying the load. Quarterback Chris Guttormsen completed 3 of 4 passes, including a pretty 31-yard touchdown to Anton Kathol.
T.J. Johnson also had a fumble recovery on defense to snuff out another Buccaneers’ drive.
Port Angeles (2-1, 3-2) sits behind unbeaten Bremerton and North Kitsap in the Olympic League 2A League. The Riders next play at Renton at 7 p.m. Friday in a nonleague game, then returns to Civic Field for homecoming Oct. 13 against Bremerton.
Port Angeles 35, Kingston 14
Kingston 6 0 0 8— 14
Port Angeles 7 15 13 0— 35
First Quarter
PA — Burns 9 run (Alvarez kick)
K — Waxon 3 run (PAT failed)
Second Quarter
PA — Burns 6 run (Moan run)
PA — Kathol 31 pass from Guttormsen (Alvarez kick)
Third Quarter
PA — Burns 6 run (PAT failed)
PA — Burns 5 run (Alvarez kick)
Fourth Quarter
K — Waxon 24 pass from Hale (PAT good)
Individual Stats
Rushing—PA: Burns 28-211, Deckard 6-49, Guttormsen 1-9, Allen 1-3; K: Waxon 20-63, Whalen 13-36.
Passing—PA: Guttormsen 3-4-54, TD, Burns 0-1, INT; K: Waxon 4-9-30, 2 INT, Hale 3-6-40, TD.
Receiving—PA: Bowen 1-5, Allen 1-18, Kathol 1-31; K: Waxon 2-38, Zook 1-11, Hale 2-14.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
